AT&T to Offer Option to Forgo Wireless Contract

Customers Get More Upgrades If They Pay Full Price for Phones

By

Thomas Gryta

July 16, 2013 12:01 a.m. ET

AT&T Inc. will begin offering wireless customers the option to forgo contracts and get more frequent upgrades if they pay full price for their smartphones, allowing the carrier to cut back on the profit-sapping cost of subsidizing devices like the iPhone.

The country's second-largest wireless company is beginning a program later this month for subscribers to buy their phones using a monthly financing plan that will add payments to their monthly bills. After a year, they will be allowed to upgrade the device. Under...